Author's Note: All right I'm back with another chapter. Hope you guys like this next installment. Just thought I'd get this out before the holiday weekend. Enjoy.
Teen Titans All Stars, Vol. 2
Chapter 36
Blackest Night: Aquaman
Reborn as a member of the Black Lantern Corps, the undead Aquaman stared down at Lorena and Garth who stood within the domed city of Atlantis. Whom many of its citizens had witnessed his death, horrified by the turn of events many of its people were now crippled with fear as the undead king stared down at them. From his vantage point the Black Lantern Aquaman could now see all thier auras, each one raditating in shades of red and yellow. His former partner Garth was simularly stunned at what he had seen.
"Garth, Garth! We have to get them away from here." Lorena told him shaking his arm.
Tempest snapped out of his paralyzed state now realizing what they must do. The former Aqualad looked back at his partner standing behind him and found his resolve as Aquaman made his move.
"Right." he nodded.
"Come on!" he said before flying off.
Lorena soon followed him as the two raced towards the entrance of the city. From outside the shadow of Aquaman quickly slid down the edge of the dome as the fate of the city now rested on thier shoulders.
"Remember that's not Aquaman anymore. So whatever you do, dont hold back." he told her.
"Right." Lorena nodded as they swam towards the gate as Aquaman arrived outside the entrance.
Tempest put on an extra burst of speed as he barreled towards Aquaman. The Black Lantern read his former ward's emotions as he was now cloaked in a bluish aura. Tempest drew back his fist as he let out a warcry and throttled the King of the Seas plowing him away from the doors of the city. Aquagirl covered him as her partner wrestled with the undead king. Arthur glared back at his ward as he struggled with him, a second burst of speed sent him smashing through a large rock momentarily stunning him as Aquagirl raced towards them. Up above she saw Black Hand descend upon her. Lorena put on an extra burst of speed just missing him as she flew past. A construct of a large hand shot out of his ring and grabbed her from behind taking her by suprise and reeled the girl back towards him. Lorena countered with a foot to the face as she flew towards him knocking him back, and knocking him out with a roundhouse with her other foot. Aquagirl then flew back towards Garth to offer him assistance. Who did his best keeping his former mentor at bay. Arthur freed his hook hand and jabbed at him several times as he attempted to skewer him. Garth regained control of the weapon and held it down staring his mentor in the face before headbutting him and broke off the attack.
Black Lantern Aquaman chuckled as he looked back at the boy. A smile formed on his decayed features.
"Now, now you were taught better than that." he said to him.
The Atlantian looked back at his mentor in disgust.
"Your not Aquaman." he replied.
"Am I now? I'm standing right here arent I?" he mocked holding out his arms.
"No. Your just wearing his skin." he said before attacking him again.
Back on the Justice League Watchtower, the League tried to make sense of his attacks. Superman stood over the controls brooding.
"You know that's really something I'd expect out of Bruce." Diana told him.
"Dont remind me. I just cant figure out why Black Hand is attacking all these heroes." he answered.
"Superman." Martian Manhunter said.
The Man of Steel looked up from the controls at his colluge who stood off to the side.
"You might want to take a look at this." he said.
Coming into the next room, they stood before one of the monitors as a news broadcast was underway.
"A strange symbol has appeared over the Atlantic Ocean. Officials are uncertain what caused this unusual phenomon. Early this morning several ships saw a beacon of light shoot out of the ocean and drew this strange symbol in the skies above. It is unknown at this moment what that symbol may represent, but those that have seen it say it is an omen of things to come. We'll have more on this story as it develops." the announcer concluded as the camera panned on a large white triangle with five lines radiating upward.
"Black Hand." said Superman.
"Where is this broadcast coming from?" asked Green Lantern.
"Atlantis." Batman said.
"So then that means..." Clark said turning to him.
"I'm afraid so." concluded Bruce.
"We have to stop him. Whatever the cost. We cant allow him to take any more lives." the Man of Steel said.
Back on Earth the battle between Aquaman and Temepst continued as the undead king slashed him across the chest with his hook. Garth groaned and retreated back a bit clutching his chest. He didnt draw blood, this time. He looked back up and saw Arthur come at him. His former ward's eyes glowed as he fired a blast of energy at Arthur freezing him in a block of ice. A look of rage frozen on his face as his harpoon was only inches away from Garth's chest. The Atlantian mage lowered his arms a bit thinking it was over. In the next instant the ice started to crack and he was free stunning his protege.
"It'll take alot more than that to get rid of me." he growled.
"Then I'll just have to try harder." he replied as his hands glowed once again.
The Black Lantern started to notice that the water current had changed as Garth raised his arms. The current started to funnel around Aruthur's body when he realized what he was doing. Tempest's eyes glowed as the water current grew stronger becoming a vortex and pushing Arthur into it. The Atlantian King fought it as Garth increased the power and started lifting him higher. His eyes blazed as the cyclone grew stronger drawing Arthur further into it and lifted him towards the surface. Garth yelled as he expelled the king from the ocean floor as the gravatation pull had him in its death grip. Aquaman yelled as he was hurled around in the water cyclone as it broke through the surface and shot into the air. By this time the torrent became so great that it started to rip the sea king apart. Garth continued his assault from the ocean floor as he destroyed the Black Lantern's body.
Lorena then threw Garth the Trident of Atlantis as he rode inside the current to strike the final blow. A moment later he surfaced and flew up towards Arthur as he looked back at his former ward about to finish him off. Tempest drew back the trident and slashed him across the face and chest tearing him further apart and slaying the Black Lantern as pieces of him rained into the ocean below. Tempest came out of the vortex as it started to disappate and stood on top of the cyclone as he watched the remains crash into the ocean below. He hung his head and sighed as the ocean cyclone retreated from where it came, and what remained of Arthur's body hit the ocean floor. Lorena bowed her head and covered her mouth and quietly paid respect to her fallen mentor.
"A very noble thing destroying your mentor so that he may rest. It must be like tearing off your own arm." Black Hand taunted as he got up. Aquagirl whirled around enraged.
"You shut up!" she yelled kicking him as hard as she could in the face.
The Black Lantern's head snapped back as her foot smashed his jaw, before recieving a powerful punch to the stomach knocking him back. Lorena's eyes and hands glowed as she stood over him.
"I should destroy you here and now." she said.
"But you dont have the guts do you? You cant do what he just did. And its tearing you apart isnt it?" he mocked.
Lorena growled as her nostrils flaired and her power started to surge. Black Hand smiled as he saw the young woman cloaked in an aura of red energy. Aquagirl screamed and fired point blank at Hand. The villain flew back on the ocean floor with his legs in the air. The villain merely chuckled as he got up a second later and wiped the corner of his mouth. Aquagirl appeared above him and punched him as hard as she could plowing him into the ground. Lorena let off a depth charge of power burying the villain. But Black Hand grabbed her wrist intent on bringing her down with him.
"Let go of me!" she yelled throwing a kick breaking his arm. The villain flew out of the hole as Lorena delivered another rib shattering hit to the chest.
The bad guy barreled back across the ocean floor before getting to his feet and let out an evil chuckle.
"Come on is that the best you got?" he mocked.
Lorena came at him again with a roundhouse kick to the head breaking his neck. She continued to pummel him with a onslaught of punches and kicks. Black Hand took them in stride his insideious smile ever present as she beat the hell out of him.
"Stop smiling damn you!" she yelled punching him in the face.
Black Hand staggered back a bit before looking up.
"But its so much fun." he mocked as she hit him again. The villain tumbled and crashed through an arch shaped reef.
"It should be a crime to have this much fun!" he cracked earning him another hit.
"I can see why the Joker enjoys it so much." he grinned taking another one. The villain fell flat on his back and laughed like a madman clapping his feet together.
"Oh babe you are just too much fun." he said as Lorena stomped him into the ground.
"Never open your mouth again." she warned pointing an energy bolt directly at his face.
"A little late for that isnt it? Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"
Lorena fired a blast between the V pattern on his forehead killing him as his head slumped to the left with his eyes wide open. Aquagirl stood over the villain with her foot on his chest as Tempest looked on and sighed in a mixture of disappointment and relief.
"Lorena you all right?" he called out. But only stared at the villain.
"Lorena." he called again. Her eyes snapped as she looked back at him and her face softened.
"Yeah I'm all right." she told him.
"We should get back to the city. We have to tell the League what happened." he said.
"And the bodies?" she asked.
"We'll have to bury them later. Come on." he said touching her shoulder.
"But this is Arthur." she told him.
"We have more pressing matters." he said walking away.
She looked back at the remains of the sea king before leaving the battlefield and swam after her partner. As the pair reentered the city, the Atlantians murmured amongst themselves as they saw Garth walk by. The Atlantian prince eyed them as they exchanged disconsulate glances back at him. They knew what he'd done. He had destroyed the king's body, but they also knew it was the only thing he could do. Still in thier eyes, that doesnt excuse what he's done. As he made his way up to the palace he was forced to face the king's wife Mera. A woman somewhat older than himself with long red hair in a green fish scaled one piece outfit stared back at him with arms folded. The former ward looked down as he climbed the stairs carrying the Trident of Posideon.
"I'm sorry." he said as he walked by. Mera followed him with her eyes.
"Not as sorry as I am." she said softly.
"It was nothing personal." he said as he continued walking.
"I know." she replied in the same tone. Lorena stopped infront of the queen.
"Your highness...please understand. Arthur fought very bravely, and...when he was revived..." she tried to explain. Mera turned away from her late husband's charge.
"I dont want to hear it." she said leaving her behind. Aquagirl sighed.
"Yes your highness." she said defeated.
In another room a young boy played with blocks and other aquatic themed toys unaware of what had happened. Garth soon entered the throne room where Aquaman once presided. Staring at the throne he quietly made his way towards it and placed the trident beside it, before taking a step back.
"I'm sorry Arthur." he said before making his way to a window and leaned against it.
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he leaned against the ornate windowsill and sighed. Aquagirl soon entered the throne room.
"Tempest." she started.
"I dont want to hear it." he said.
"I understand. I just want to tell you that I'm here for you." she said.
"I appreciate that." he said softly as he looked out the window. She nodded and went to leave.
"Garth. Dont beat yourself up over it." she told him before leaving the sanctum.
Outside the city the remnants of Aquaman started to reanimate themselves and started pulling themselves back together towards thier source. The Black Lantern Ring on his severed hand calling them back with its glow. In another part of the tower Mera stood outside her son's playroom as she tried to figure out what she would tell him. Watching the young Atlantian prince play with blocks through a partly opened door. The queen sighed as she looked away. How could she tell a five year old that his dad was dead? Much less that he'd been turned into a revnant against his will by a villain and then destroyed by Garth? She palmed her forehead as the images of his destruction raced through her head. She didnt know who to be more angry at. But tried her best not to direct it at Garth.
"He was protecting the kingdom. But that doesnt make it any better for us." she said forlorn.
"Neptune above...how am I going to explain this to him?" she moaned.
The body of Aquaman completed its reformation as he became sentient once more pulling his face out of the dirt. The King of the Seas growled as he picked himself up, his Lantern ring burning brightly.
"Mera..." he growled as he got up.
At that same time Black Hand came back to life as the hole in his head sealed up and got to his feet. The villain cracked his neck this way and that, realigning it as he stood up.
"As much fun as this is we're going to have to either hit em hard or not at all. I dont have all day." Black Hand told Aquaman.
"Mera..." he said scanning the domed city for her before finally locking onto her. From inside the palace he could see her radiating mulitple colors most prominently violet.
"Mera I'm coming for you." he said.
"Yeah, yeah that's great kid. Just get it over with. I've got places to be." Black Hand said flippantly.
The Black Lantern took off towards the domed city. Black Hand continued to pop his neck.
"Damn she screwed up my neck. Now I'm going to have a crick for the rest of the week." he muttered as he turned to face the city.
"I've wasted too much time here. I still have much to do." he said before teleporting out.
Inside the palace several alarms sounded as a comotion could be heard from where Garth and Mera were. From thier respective rooms they looked up as the noise grew louder. Tempest soon rushed out of the throne room and was met by Aquagirl as they ran towards the disturbance.
"You dont think..." Aquagirl asked.
"I dont know. But whatever it is we're about to find out." answered Tempest.
In the hall outside Arthur Jr's playroom Mera became apprehensive as the sounds of guards fighting drew closer and louder. Instinctively she shut the door to Arthur's room and locked it as best she could until.
"Mera..." a familar voice called. Mera stood frozen as her husband stood behind her.
The Queen looked back and saw her undead husband fully reformed. She covered her mouth in horror and took a step back.
"No..." Mera whispered.
"Yes Mera I'm back. Your love for me has brought me back from the brink. We can be whole again. And we will never be seperated again." he said in a soothing voice.
His wife was stunned and horrified by his undead appearance. Her eyes then narrowed in resolve.
"No. Your not my husband. And if that's what I'm faced with then I will never join you." she said growing angry.
Mera then punched her husband across the face stunning the Black Lantern as her emotional aura changed dramatically.
"And it'll take alot more than my husband's corpse to fool me." she growled.
"I'm sorry you feel that way dear." he said and let out a zombie growl attacking her.
On the Green Lantern homeworld, Ganthet and the other Guardians were now painfully aware of the Black Lantern Corps exsistance.
"I'm afraid there's no denying it any longer." he said to his fellow Guardians.
"No. William Hand has been revealed as the Bearer of the Black just as predicted and the first of his victims has risen." Appa Ali Appsa said.
"Then there's only one other thing we must do." said Sayd. Ganthet nodded as he looked back at them over his shoulder.
"It is time we summon the other Lantern Corps and amass them to our side before more Black Lanterns rise." he stated.
"But how are we to do that? Two of those corps nearly destroyed us and succeeded doing so to our only ally in this battle." another male Guardian said.
"Love is a powerful thing my brother. Even if its source is torn down, it can never be destroyed. That is why I have administrated my own corps to resurrect the Violet Power Battery." Ganthet announced. The Guardians looked back at him in shock.
"What?" the Guardian spat as the others muttered amongst themselves. Brother Appsa narrowed his eyes at Ganthet.
"And what exactly is this Corps? What is its signature?" he asked.
"Hope." he replied.
From behind his back Ganthet opened his hand revealing a Blue Power Ring. Rays of light then shone out of the ring illuminating thier faces as it lit up the room.
"Even now the Violet Battery is online and its Star Saphire Rings are locked into its grid. In graditude for restoring thier power they have agreed to join us once more against the Blackest Night threat. I give you the Blue Lantern Corps of Hope." Ganthet said to them.
In the shadows Earthbound Lanterns Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner watched from behind a partially opened door.
"So now there's another one." Guy whispered.
"Yeah and Ganthet's behind it this time." Kyle said standing under him.
"That should tip the scales more in our favor." replied Guy.
"What are you poozers doing? How many times do I have to tell you not to eavesdrop on the Guardians?" hissed Killowog.
"Ah cool yer jets Killowog. There's actually some good news in there for a change!" said Guy.
"I dont care! You know its against the rules!" he shot back.
"Aw put a sock in it will ya?" he said.
"Watch it Red." he warned.
"You dont have any authority over me porker." Guy shot back.
"Oh yeah?" he said and thumped Guy over the head with his enormous fist.
"If you are quite through..." Ganthet said calling them to attention.
The three Lanterns looked back at the Guardians' disapproving glances.
"Now see what you made me do?" growled Killowog.
"I didnt do nothing!" Guy said rubbing his head.
"Actually your timing couldnt have been better." Ganthet told them. The guys looked at each other and took it as thier cue to enter the room.
"So that's a new Power Ring huh?" Guy asked. The former Guardian nodded.
"And you already have recruits?" Kyle added.
"A few." he replied.
"So then what do you want us for?" asked Guy.
"Depending on how much you overheard." one of the Guardians muttered.
"The Blackest Night has begun on Earth." Ganthet told them.
"Oh man." said Kyle.
"Blackest Night?" Guy asked unsure.
"The last Lantern Corps to reveal itself." Kyle told him.
"And what one is that?" he asked.
"There are several of them that have yet to reveal themselves. All but one of which belong to the Emotional Spectrum from which all Lanterns draw their powers. But now something has happened and the darkest of which has revealed itself before the others." Ganthet explained.
"And this is bad how?" asked Guy.
The other Guardians were annoyed by his ignorance but expected no less from him. All the while Ganthet patiently explained it to Guy.
"The bearers of the Emotional Spectrum you have already met in battle. The Green Light of Willpower, the Yellow Light of Fear, the Red Light of Rage, and the Violet Light of Love are met by several others. The Orange Light of Avarice, the Indigo Light of Compassion, and the Blue Light of Hope. These are the seven key emotions that are the embodiments of life. But there is an eighth corps that is without emotion. It is this corps that is an enemy to all that lives and is wielded by the deceased. The Black Lantern Corps of Death. It is for this reason that we must align the other corps together in order to face this threat." Ganthet said.
"Or what?" he asked.
"They will extinguish all life within the universe." he told him.
"Okay starting to see why that's a problem." he replied.
"And you want us to locate these other corps and convince them to our side?" Kyle asked.
"This should be fun." his teammate snarked.
"I'm afraid we dont have much else choice." Ganthet told them as Guy looked back at Kyle.
"We've got our work cut out for us." he said.
"We'll do what we can." Kyle told Ganthet.
To Be Continued...
Author's Note: All right so what'd you think of that? I figured the killing heros thing was getting a little old so I tried to find a way to change it up and allow the plot to progress some. So what do you think of this latest installment? Hope everyone has a good Memorial Day Weekend.
Please review,
Green Gallant